Coalition Member Spotlight: Subin & Eva

What attracted you to Partnership for Change (PFC)?

S: I am studying epidemiology at the University of Minnesota, School of Public Health. Studying the health of a community is one of my interests. I joined PFC because I wanted to make a difference in the community and the medication disposal program was a very interesting topic to me. It is very common for people to have unused or expired medication in their homes but not many people know how to dispose of them correctly. I am aware of many group homes incorrectly disposing of medications, which could affect the public water and health. I think the Rx disposal program is very beneficial to the community and would like to continue to help PFC educate the region on this matter.

E:As a student from a developing country I was attracted to PFC to learn about the structures put in place surrounding alcohol and drug use. Those systems do not currently exist in my home country. I was particularly intrigued by the continuous effort made by the organization to reduce injuries and accidents caused by alcohol use.

What have you learned so far as a graduate student intern for PFC?

S: I have been conducting phone interviews with pharmacy employees within Hennepin County. I have learned that there are so many people in this region who bring their unused or unwanted prescriptions back to the pharmacies. They are not aware of proper disposal. I also learned that the majority of pharmacies are willing to advertise the medication disposal sites for their customers. They have been very supportive of our efforts.

E: I have learned about different procedures put into place to help reduce serving of alcohol to intoxicated persons and also how the Place of Last Drink program is helping law enforcement, local businesses, and communities control this trend.

What accomplishment are you particularly proud of, so far?

S: So far I have been conducting interviews and now we are in the process of distributing information, created by PFC, Voom Creative, and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office. I am proud of the team because they are making a difference in the community by providing needed information on how to safely dispose of unused medications.

E:I am excited that I can work on a research paper that will find ways to help reduce injuries and accidents resulting from alcohol use, especially among young people.